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Category: smartphone

There are 13 posts published under smartphone.

Top Smartphone Features to Look for in 2015

The evolution of smartphones has now reached such a rapid pace that perhaps it makes more sense to say that smartphone tech itself exists in a dynamic state. Before new devices and features even hit the market, manufacturers and consumers alike have set their sights on the next big thing. Imaginations run wild and it’s not long before companies are pushing products that toe the line between plausibility and science fiction. Remember when the notion of a curved screen seemed fantastical? So when some of what is being predicted for 2015 sounds equally farfetched, keep in mind that it’s today’s hopes and dreams that form the basis of the technologies in our pockets tomorrow.

 

Here’s some of what you can expect to see:

 

Affordable Premium

 

In 2014, Chinese manufacturers started forcing the big players in the Android gear space to scramble to keep up with devices like the ZTE ZMAX. This year the phone to watch for is the OnePlus Two, an upcoming release from the Oppo spinoff. Unlike the OnePlus One, which was plagued by issues ranging from sexist marketing to its confusing invite-only pre-order system, the Two may just deliver the promised flagship-grade specs in a mid-priced device.

 

Monster Specs

 

LG revealed the G Flex 2 at this year’s CES, but as exciting as its amazingly durable flexing curved screen is 2015 won’t be the year of the curve. The upcoming release of the G4 is much more thrilling. Leaked specs suggest that this device featuring Snapdragon’s mobile technology is going to be hot with shutterbugs thanks to a juicy 20.7 megapixel camera. Samsung’s Galaxy S6 is also rumored to have some bodacious specs that will make up for the disappointing sales of the S5.

 

Slim Lines

 

If you think a phone can never be too powerful or too thin, check out the Oppo R5 and the Vivo X5 Max. The former may not be on the lips of many outside of its home market (China) but will be soon thanks to Oppo’s ability to squeeze solid specs into what is nearly the world’s thinnest phone at 4.85 mm thick. The latter measures in at more than .1 mm thinner, however, making it half the size of the Nexus 5 or LG G3. Other than that, both phones have remarkably similar features – including their rarity. Much easier to get in the US will be Blu’s Vivo Air, a 5.1 mm device that will cost just $199.

 

True Customization

 

Forget being able to customize your display – that’s so last year. Think of Project Ara as the LEGO of phones, making 2015 the year modular devices will finally hit market in a limited pilot. You get a phone built to your specifications featuring (almost) everything you could want in a handheld. Like a second battery for twice the power, a bigger speaker or even something as nichey as a night vision camera. Planned obsolescence and the unending upgrade cycle may be a thing of the past starting later this year.

 

If nothing above sounds like the phone of the future you’ve always dreamed of, don’t despair. Smartphone manufacturers who are serious about competing with Apple aren’t going to rest on their laurels while tech fans and artists sketch out concepts for the next big iPhone release. The one constant in the smartphone world is that everything is always changing and change happens fast. Keep hope alive for long enough and soon you’ll wake up to the device of your dreams.

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Switching from iOS to Android

Thinking of switching from iOS to Android? This post will help by addressing some of the areas of hesitation or concern, particularly as it relates to the new iOS continuity announcements.  more

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Stories Behind the Apps: Galaxy Dash

GalaxyDash_Banner

Tell us about your game! We have recently released our debut title called Galaxy Dash: Race to the Outer Run. Galaxy Dash combines the excitement of an endless runner with the thrill of space combat! In the game you play as a star captain and privateer who is navigating through the Outer Run, a dangerous but lucrative smuggling route on the edge of the galaxy. Your goal is to blast obstacles in your way, collect tons of loot, and survive as long as possible to become the most infamous smuggler in the galaxy!

Galaxy_Dash_Icon

How is the game different from similar apps? Galaxy Dash is a hybrid between an endless runner and space combat game. While Galaxy Dash shares a similar core loop and control scheme as other 3D endless runners, our key differentiator is the infusion of combat in the game. Players can shoot asteroids, enemy ships, and other space hazards to earn bonus score and loot during their run.  This creates an exciting balance of dodging and combat, reminiscent of classic games like Star Fox. We also have a fresh visual take on space games, featuring a vibrant and colorful atmosphere to explore.

Tell us about the app design. Galaxy Dash features a whimsical cast of characters in the form of aliens, robots, and humanoids. We wanted to highlight these characters in the app icon, so our current icon features the character Helix, who is one of our favorites aliens in the game.  With regards to the user interface, we spent many months creating layouts and mockups for the various screens, and testing them as grey-scale in the game.  Once we were happy with the general layout and user flow, we hired a friend and talented UI designer to help push us over the finish line with their visual style and UX tweaks.

GalaxyDash_Poster

What resources assisted you in building the app? We built Galaxy Dash in Unity 3D and have utilized several plug-ins from the Unity Asset Store.  Key plug-ins include the Toon Shader for our visual style, NGUI for our user interface, and Prime 31 for many of our SDK hookups. We’ve had fantastic support from the indie gaming community, who have provided feedback on the game and tips on the startup journey.  We also recommend playing Galaxy Dash with the sound on, as we have fantastic music tracks from our friend Brad Griffin, and a ton of entertaining sound effects from Andrew Kim at Level-up Audio.

What lessons did you learn using these tools? I think a key lesson has been that it’s okay to ask for help. The Unity and indie community are incredibly supportive of each other, and people are willing to share all kinds of advice to help you create your game. We’ve also had many friends who have both contributed to the game and playtested the game over the course of our development. Having their involvement has made the journey even that much more meaningful.

What would you say went right and wrong with the release? Overall, the game’s development was a positive experience for us. We had a clear vision for the type of game we were making, which allowed us to move quickly and efficiently against the goal. However, our speed did make it difficult to pivot on some key items, which led to some tough compromises later in development. With regards to release, our ability to iterate on the game post-launch and maintain a solid update cadence has been awesome. But it has been challenging to drive installs without a large marketing budget, so we’re doing our best to improve on getting the word out.

Who is on the team and what are your roles? We have a three person team here at SuperMoon Games. Simon Armstrong is our Technical Director and lone engineer, and all the functionality in the game has come from his fingertips. Kyle Van Meurs is our Art Director, and has been responsible for bringing the visuals of Galaxy Dash to life. I’m focused on both game design and studio operations, and implement our level design and balance into the game. The overall creative vision for Galaxy Dash has been a team effort, driven by our backgrounds as passionate and avid gamers.

What were you doing prior to building the app? Prior to forming SuperMoon Games, we were working at larger game companies such as Electronic Arts and Zynga. We found ourselves playing tons of games together, and realized we shared a mutual passion for indie games and space games. When brainstorming what game to work on as our first title, we decided to take the opportunity to pursue an idea that would be difficult to greenlight at larger publishers. Thus a game about flying spaceships was born.

SuperMoon_Big_Indie_Pitch

What other games do you play or inspire you? We play a ton of games here at SuperMoon, and I’m constantly inspired by the work from other indie developers like Vlambeer and NimbleBit. Perhaps my favorite app is a game called Dungeon Raid, which I easily sunk over 100 hours into and still have installed on my device nearly four years later.

Head over to the iTunes App Store to download Galaxy Dash.

Hey you app devs!  Wanna be featured like Galaxy Dash? Be sure to check out http://www.powerslyde.com/get-discovered

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How Curved Screen Technology is Making its Way Onto the Market

In the world of consumer electronics, it seems like there are new innovations all the time that make their way onto the market. In screen technology, the most recent innovation is curved screens.

Of course, if you are familiar with going to the movies, curved screens is nothing new. Cinema screens are often curved due to the way the picture is projected onto the screen. Curved screens are now making their debut on a much smaller scale, like the television and smartphone market.

How Curved Screen Technology Works

On a curved television, the image projected onto the screen is obviously rear projected and provides a much wider field of view than a standard flat screen television. The goal of a curved television is supposed to be to provide a cinema-like experience on very large televisions, like th 78-inch UHD TV from Samsung.

The curves bend outwards on the side of the screen. The further you are away from the television, the less you even notice that the image you are watching is being emitted on a curved screen. The actual curves are only noticeable when you are within a few feet of the screen, but from any viewpoint, the picture quality is extremely sharp. On some of the television screens, there is a way you can switch to a flat screen if you prefer, by simply pushing a button.

While smartphones certainly do not fall into the category of “very large” screens, there are certainly benefits to having curved phones or tablets. The curvature on a smart phone reduces any reflections that diminish from the screen’s brightness, contrast and color. The curvature also directs ambient light outside of your line of sight.

Curved Screen Devices Currently Available

Samsung and LG have led the way when it comes to curved screen technology. Both companies released curved television screens at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The two companies also released curved phones within the last year. One of the most prominent curved smartphones out on the market right now is the LG G Flex from T-Mobile, which is indeed flexible. This phone’s screen quality is pinpoint sharp.

When you first look at it and hold it in your hands, you might think it’s a broken or fake phone, but it’s not. According to LG, the phone may be bent flat up to 180 degrees and you have to be careful not to bend it inward or twist.

You may be thinking that it might be too difficult to hold a curved phone or find a case for it or even store it flat. A curved phone might actually fit into your pocket easier than a flat phone because it can use the curvature of your leg to sit. And if you store it in your purse, it would be a lot easier to find than a flat phone due to the probable amount of flat accessories you keep in your purse as it is.

Electronic manufacturers know that this is the year for curved screen technology. The next time you walk past a television or smartphone display, you might need to take a second look. An electronics device with a curved screen is no joke, it’s actually one of the latest developments in technology.

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Traditional Industries Are Being Upended by Apps

It isn’t news to anyone that we live in a mobile world now. Over half of adult Americans own smartphones, and the desktop business has been steadily declining as tablets and phones continue their ascent. As consumers, we have spoken: Our world is on the go, and we want technology that can keep up with us.

But it’s more than just the size and convenience of these products that make them so revolutionary; they mark a shift in how we interact with our devices and through them, with products and services in the outside world. The app economy doesn’t exist to simply occupy people’s time with games and to-do lists — it’s a way to disrupt traditional ways of doing business.

 

3 Traditional Industries that Apps Have Disrupted

 

Whole volumes can be written on the various businesses and services that have benefited, and suffered from, the smartphone revolution, but here are three key examples of how apps have managed to revolutionize whole industries.

 

1. Travel: While the traditional travel agent’s way of doing things was on the decline before smartphones, thanks to websites like Expedia and Travelocity, we still printed our boarding passes, booked hotels and flights way in advance, and manually kept track of our travel itineraries.

With mobile phones, this changed almost completely. Most airline apps allow us to check in and present our tickets from within the app and, more importantly, they continuously update us with current flight ETAs and gate change information that can make the difference between a successful trip and a disastrous one.

Furthermore, a whole industry of mobile apps has arisen around the concept of last-minute deals when it comes to hotel reservations and other travel accommodations. With their phones, users have the ability to make last-minute vacation plans that are often cheaper than ones made months in advance. This practice has become much more widespread in the days of mobile.

 

2. Transportation: You’ve most likely heard of new car services like Uber and Lyft. These companies have made names for themselves by creating an experience that allows you to order and pay for a car service with a few simple taps on your phone. The key thing to remember about these services is that mobile is not their business — it’s the tool through which people access their service. Mobile is the facilitator, not the endgame.

 

3. GPS: Remember when everyone had a TomTom or Garmin hooked to their dashboards? When was the last time you had one hooked to yours? Built-in apps, such as Google and Apple Maps, have all but replaced this once-burgeoning product category, offering the same features without the need for another clunky device.

Furthermore, smartphones have surpassed traditional GPS devices, with apps like Waze, which provides crowd sourced alerts about traffic, accidents, police information, and even red-light cameras. By providing points and rewards for adding information, Waze turned maps into a game and created something wholly new in the GPS industry. Its no wonder Google spent $1 billion to acquire it.

 

What to Keep in Mind When Designing Your App

These aren’t the only industries that have been disrupted by mobile, and they won’t be the last. With the widespread adoption of wearable tech just around the corner, we’re going to be presented with new and exciting ways to change how we do business. There are a few key things to keep in mind when looking to change the world with mobile.

 

  • Count the steps. How many steps does it take to provide your service? If you can find ways to cut down on the number of steps or make them easier with mobile, then you have a good start when developing an app.
  • Put the user experience first. Making your app a pleasure to use can make the difference between success and failure. Learn about the psychology and motivations behind people’s interactions, and design your app around that.
  • Capture feedback. Make it easy for users to provide feedback — and for you to track it. Seeing how people actually use your app and knowing what they’re looking for can give you a better picture of the place mobile has in your business.
  • Partner up. You don’t need to do everything. Look for ways to connect what you have to offer with other products and services so your users get a full experience. That means you won’t get bogged down in details irrelevant to your core business.

 

A key thing to keep in mind when looking toward the next wave of disruptive apps is how mobile fits into the way people live. Does your app empower people to do things they already want to do? Is it strategically positioned to be useful at certain crucial times (like when they need to find a hotel room at the last minute?)

 

The major reason apps have been so game changing is that they have improved upon the ways people go about already doing things by not forcing people to change their lives. As long as app makers continue to keep that in mind, we are only at the beginning of the app revolution.

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Apps: The Best Channel for Customer Communication

Everywhere we go and at any time of day we always carry at least one thing with us – our smartphone.

 

It is the most personal object we own and we use them non-stop to communicate with each other through a multitude of different mobile apps. However, mobile apps have had a far larger impact than being able to communicate from just peer to peer.

 

Mobile apps have opened an entire new channel and form of interaction between companies and consumers. Having a branded mobile app in a consumer’s pocket is the closest connection companies have ever had with their customers. With the rise of time spent on mobile devices, companies who have a mobile app on a consumer’s phone are given a spotlight and opportunity to connect like never before.

 

Since 2010 mobile usage has been steadily increasing, and in 2013 mobile became the leader in media consumption surpassing both television and the desktop.

info

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the full mobile growth infographic.

 

Mobile will only continue to distance itself from the other outlets as technology, innovation, and design continue to improve. For companies this means one thing. It’s time to capitalize on mobile as a tool to create personalized relationships powering meaningful engagement with customers.

 

The Rise of Customer Service, Feedback, and Communication

 

Alongside the growth of mobile, customer service and feedback have been gaining importance and have become a staple for companies looking to standout. Companies like Amazon, Nordstrom, and Costco have shown how being customer focused can contribute to a successful business.

 

Mobile apps are the powerful link between service, feedback, and communication. Growing out of a desire for positive ratings and reviews for your app, customer happiness is extremely important for mobile apps. As a mobile app publisher you want positive ratings, but would prefer to have negative feedback sent to you instead of the app store.

 

Thus, companies began asking for feedback, providing better customer service, and encouraging customer conversations to learn from their customers. This turned mobile apps into a key platform for better connecting with a customer base.

 

The Mobile App Platform

 

Mobile apps give companies a chance to have personal two-way conversations that benefit both the customers and companies alike. Customers get to share their thoughts and have issues solved. Companies get to hear directly from their biggest fans and critics and learn what could be better.

 

5 Tips on Using Mobile Apps to Better Communicate with your Customers

 

1. Easy To Communicate In-App

If it isn’t easy for customers to reach out and communicate it will never happen. Don’t bury the “contact you” button somewhere deep inside the app. Make it abundantly clear that there is a place designated for in-app feedback. It will help customers find their voice and choose to reach out instead of remaining silent.

 

Customers are using your app when they need help or want to give feedback. Communication needs to be able to take place entirely through the mobile app. Don’t ask customers to send an email, direct them to social media, or lead them to an online help forum. Communicate through the app.

 

 2. Proactively Reach Out

 

The majority of mobile apps only hear from few vocal customers. To combat this, mobile apps need to be proactive in parts of their customer communication. Using proactive feedback prompts, in the right places, can help you hear from more customers and get a better perspective of your customer base.

 

In-app surveys can also be a powerful tool for gaining insight on your customers. Many people don’t have specific feedback or would never engage in a conversation to share their thoughts. Surveys allow more people to answer specific questions and choose from a list the answer the best represents their thoughts.

 

 3. Respond and validate

 

Always respond to every message you receive. If a customer takes the time out of their day to engage with you, it warrants your attention no matter what kind of message it is. Sending a response not only opens up the door for a personal relationship between the brand and customer, but also validates the customer.

 

By validating what the customer has to say you are forging a connection between the customer and the mobile app. If the customer gives feedback and you respond by thanking them for helping improve the app, the customer gains a sense of association with the app and is more likely to become an evangelist.

 

4. Follow-up

 

The follow-up message is one of the most powerful forms of communication with a customer. It shows a company taking steps to ensure that the customer is happy.

 

Follow-up messages are great for telling customers about new features they asked for, ensuring that the customer knows their problem was resolved, and generally providing additional information that may be helpful.

 

5. Be Personal

 

The more personal, the better the connection that can be formed. If you have the customer’s name, use it! The more you can impress on the customer that you care about them individually the better. The entire goal is to make the customer feel special. This is the best way to earn a customer’s loyalty.

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Taking the Concert Home: How it Will Benefit Consumers and Artists Alike

It is no secret that technology has had a major impact on the music industry. The arrival of the MP3 in the mid-90’s triggered the rumblings of a disruption that only grew stronger when Napster showed us how to share music. Together, these technologies changed the music landscape forever.

 

At the time, many in the music industry were ill prepared to understand the benefits that technology could bring, let alone to capitalize on it. Many artists and labels perceived it as a threat to intellectual property. Other artists and visionaries saw it as a way to level the playing field, to get their music out in the world without the constraints of a record label. Record labels, failing to grasp the importance of this new medium, deemed music downloads and file swapping illegal and turned consumers into criminals, and resisted building a new business model. An astute Apple jumped in and developed iTunes. Others followed. A new trend toward social technologies and media emerged and spread. Mayhem reigned. The result was a disrupted music industry, certainly, but also a very confused one.

 

That rise of social media and its impact on our lives may have had a bigger hand in shaping the post-90’s future of the music business than we realize. Today’s digitized music industry and society’s sharing culture have forced fresh technology innovations that may ultimately reap great benefit for artists and consumers alike.

 

With the rise of smartphones, think about the availability of immediate live audio and video. It got me thinking, “what if we could offer consumers a way to relive a concert experience at their convenience by providing them with an easy way to purchase high-quality content while ensuring that artists, record labels and venue operators could benefit as well?”

 

Anyone who has attended a concert in the past five years has seen the evolution from lighters to cell phones in the hands of audience members. Music fans are recording their own poor-quality audio and video at shows so they can either relive or share the experience – and they’re probably doing both.

 

According to a 2012 Hollywood Reporter poll, more than 70 percent of respondents listen to an artist based on what a friend posted on a social networking site, and according to Gizmodo, 210,000 years of music has been played on Facebook alone as of 2012. Clearly, these bragging rights are important – for artists and fans alike.

 

Technology now exists that makes this a reality, and Lively is one example of a company that provides a solution through its free mobile app. With backend software, Lively’s platform captures and disseminates professional-quality audio and video, and a licensing agreement protects the artists’ rights while allowing consumers to purchase and share content without fear of reprisal.

 

For those who appreciate music, the live concert experience is unlike any other. With a technology partner like Lively, fans can finally put down their cell phones and enjoy the show. The technology also makes it possible for artists to engage with fans in an entirely new way by providing professional-quality live content for purchase after the show. Fans who are unable to attend their favorite band’s concert, for instance, can still feel close to the music and the artist by downloading professional-quality content provided through Lively, rather than trying to enjoy the experience through poor quality video shot on their friends’ smartphone.

 

Advances in technology have already opened doors for fledgling artists by helping them create and sell their own recordings using solutions such as SoundCloud and Bandcamp, but, until now, capturing and sharing the live experience has not been optimal. This new opportunity caught the attention of country superstar Keith Urban who, along with Yahoo’s “Ram Country Live!” partnered with Lively to bring exclusive live audio recordings to fans via the app. Portugal. The Man also recently made audio and video content from their sold out show at Terminal 5 in New York City available exclusively via Lively.

 

When this wave of digital disruption first began, it put a dent in industry revenue. The record labels’ refusal to address digital downloads contributed mightily to a current global music industry that is less than half its pre-digital size, down from $38 billion in 2001 to $16.5 billion in 2013, according to Forrester analyst James McQuivey. It was bad for labels, it was bad for bands and it was bad for fans. How, then, to pick up the pieces?

 

Revenue for artists and labels may not return to what they were pre-digitization, but both can generate incremental revenue if they’re willing to experiment with new technologies. With the Lively platform, for example, revenues are split. After the app stores retain their 30 percent revenue share, artists receive approximately 49 percent of the revenue from downloads. Additionally, artists and their management receive valuable visibility and market insights through download analytics and tracking data that they can apply to their own promotion and marketing efforts.

 

Venue operators can participate as well with opportunities to become “Lively-enabled” and to negotiate mutually beneficial contracts with the touring artists’ management to co-brand shows that will benefit both promotionally and financially. As the technology spreads, consumers may likely seek out venues that are capable of providing the ultimate show merchandise, in the form of high-quality digital “memories.”

 

The rise of technology continues to force rapid, ongoing changes within the music industry and these changes create opportunities for fans, artists and the industry itself, to engage in new and more fulfilling ways. Digital disruption of the music business is unavoidable, but so long as artists and industry players remember that this is a business built on the appreciation of music, they’ll realize that access to live music doesn’t have to stop after the venue goes dark.

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SIM, SIM, One More SIM, and Many More SIMs

Russia has started to abolish mobile slavery, something that prevents them from switching operators without changing their numbers, but has approached the problem in a barbaric way. The ambiguity of the solution resulted in several delays in the practical launching of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP). However, there are more feasible engineering ways to ease the use of mobile communications. For instance, multi-SIM devices or virtual SIMs enable users to change mobile services providers free of charge, as well as to use the cheapest services of the highest quality.

 

Sometimes life issues rather strange challenges that would have been unbelievable a decade ago and, as a decade passes, they begin to look ridiculous. But they must be solved. No one in the mid-2000s was able to think that “devotion” to a single mobile provider would become a problem. Yet, the necessity to abolish such mobile slavery is being considered by country leaders. Generally, the idea of introducing transferability of mobile numbers looks ambiguous and does not have unanimous public support.

 

Card for SIM card

 

The idea of using several numbers by one device is rather old. People can simultaneously use corporate and personal SIMs, as well as have a roaming SIM, a data SIM in their smartphone and a SIM in their tablet.

 

The solution is evident. If anyone can have so many SIMs, the development of a device hosting all of them simultaneously is inevitable. In the summer of 2013, Intersoft Eurasia patented the Multi Dynamic SIM for hosting several SIMs operating simultaneously. It looks like a common credit card with nine slots for various SIMs (standard, mini, micro and nano). As a result, the device enables a single smart phone to use up to nine numbers.

 

The processor integrated into the Multi Dynamic SIM will manage the operation of hosted SIMs. It will connect them through SMART Bluetooth or NFC channels to the virtual SIM installed in the device. The software needed to run this multi-SIM card is called Multi-Dynamic-SIM.Soft. This software will also operate as a user interface for manual configuration and entering extra settings, allowing for creating the optimal scenario for multi-SIM operation. It will select the cheapest communication channel of the highest quality automatically. Smart software for saving money has already been developed long ago. IP telephony operators use it actively to calculate the cheapest routing of the highest quality for long distance call traffic. Multi-Dynamic-SIM.Soft will take into account the quality of a communication channel, the traffic price subject to seasonal or day and night discounts, actions and partner programs of operators, etc. Upon analysis of the data, it will select the optimal SIM for a call or an internet connection. As a result, the total communication expenses of the user will become lower without any mobile slavery.

 

As close as possible

 

While the credit card form factor is one of the most optimal ones due to popularity of credit cards there are other solutions. Intersoft Eurasia also proposed to manufacture Multi Dynamic SIM in the form of boots for the post popular models. The main weak point of such a solution results from wide range of models, therefore, such boots will be available for the most popular ones only. But it has several obvious benefits. The first and the most important one is the stability of the use of NFC data channel. This channel can be unavailable for the credit-card-like device if the distance between devices is large. Moreover, the boot can host more than nine SIMs, providing for more scenarios.

 

Indeed, one phone can host dozens of SIMs. Multiservice platforms emerging in the market enable the user to widen the list of services while lowering mobile communication cost. SIMs with increased memory, integrating several subscriber numbers, are already available. Therefore, further improvement of card capacity is simple. One SIM can host 20, 30 or 64 numbers, rather than one number only. And such a device has already been patented as the Super virtual SIM — it looks like a common SIM. The main difference lays in its design: the SIM is developed on the basis of more complex integrated circuit with a set of SIM emulators and a controller. As in the case with Multi Dynamic SIM, the device uses excess computational capacity of its host.

 

There are no technological obstacles impeding the manufacture of multi-SIMs, but the law and, above all, the market are not ready yet. It will take much time to convince mobile service providers, who are the sole issuers of SIMs now, to make that shift. The development of the multi-SIM requires integration into their processes. Large market players look at any attempt to modify the established business model as an intervention. All efforts will be in vain without preliminary popularization of the idea. It is necessary to convince mobile communication providers of the fact that the both the providers users will benefit from implementing multi-SIM technology, since they will be able to increase widely the list of offered services. And above all, in spite of emergence of real possibility of user migration, the satisfaction and, consequently, the loyalty of subscribers will be increased.

 

Multi-SIM technology will make the use of the mobile devices as comfortable as possible, since everything will operate faster, cheaper, and with more diversification and higher quality.

 

Bottom line

 

The mobile slavery problem is fabricated to a large extent. Even its ideologists acknowledge that users willing to mitigate to another provider amount to 10% and less. The main argument used in favor of MNP implementation is that it will result in growth of competition among providers and, consequently, higher quality of services. But this result can be achieved far more simply via multi-SIM. The providers will inevitably have to improve quality of services, otherwise, their services will become unpopular. Moreover, companies will have to modify pricing. The processor will select the cheapest services of the high quality irrespective of the tangled wording of user contracts.

 

However, the SIM, whether the mini, micro or nano, has become obsolete. The SIM-less phones are the thing of the future. The ultimate abolishment of the mobile slavery is around the corner. It is not necessary to host the subscriber’s number at the physical device in the age of cloud technologies — the unique device ID is enough. The phone number can be hosted in the cloud, too. Moreover IP technology allows for calling to an e-mail address or to a nick in a social network. However, before the new numberless age comes, the future holds the transitional multi-SIM period for us.

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Top Startup and Tech News Today: 7 Things You Missed Today

1. Amazon Introduces AWS Activate Services Package To Help Startups Grow Via The Cloud

 

Amazon’s Web Services department is trying to appeal to startups through the launch of AWS Activate. AWS Activate is a package of resources and materials that are specifically tailored to help young businesses and their cloud-based needs grow. It is expected to intensify the rivalry with Microsoft and Rackspace. AWS includes AWS credits, training, developer support, and a startup community forum that also provides advice and a wide array of “special offers” from third parties. The packages comes in two forms, “Self-Starter,” which any startup can apply for, and “Portfolio,” which specifically reaches out to startups that are involved in accelerators, incubators, or other programs intended to help startups grow.

 

2. Twitter’s New Comcast Deal Could Have You Watching TV From Tweets

 

Comcast has just inked a deal with Twitter that puts in the addition of a “See It” button on tweets regarding NBCUniversal shows. The initiative should work as follows – if you’re browsing your feed and see a tweet regarding a NBCUniversal show, you will see a “See It” button. When you click that button, you will be taken to a card that has relevant information about the show, and allows you to DVR or watch the program on TV or online. This partnership will also let Twitters users set reminders for upcoming shows and purchase movie tickets on Fandango. The specifics of this detail, such as when this is to launch, have not been revealed.

 

3. Flickr App Gains Auto-Upload Feature In iOS 7 Update

 

Everyone was a bit apprehensive when Flickr was acquired – but, with several major updates including filters and a grid UI just passing over, it seems as though Flickr has had quite a busy seen. Another update for Flickr has just arrived – but this time for the iOS7. iOS7 devices can now upload from the camera roll directly to Flickr servers at full resolution. Sharing is set to private by default, but this can be changed. The Flickr editor will provide tools such as automatic photo straightening, and various other options. And to users worries about clogging up their Flickr storage – Flickr is giving out a free terabyte.

 

4. World’s First Curved Smartphone Hits South Korea Market

 

On Thursday, Samsung launched the world’s first smartphone that had a curved display screen. The Galaxy Round, which has a 6.7 inch concave handset made to fit into the curve of a user’s palm, has hit stores in South Korea. Samsung has not provided a date for its global release. Curved screens, which are touted as being lighter and thinner than current display panels are a new and budding interest in the smartphone industry. This new phone is powered by Google’s Android System and features a 2.3 GHz quad-core processor. It is selling for roughly $1,000 American dollars in South Korea.

 

5. Twitter’s Event Parrot Claims To Be An Experiment In Breaking News Alerts

 

What is Twitter doing now? A mysterious account called “EventParrot” might be Twitter’s big next thing. EventParrot’s profile promises “direct messages that help you keep up with what’s happening in the world.” This is not the first time that Twitter has tested new features through an account; The Twitter account MagicRecs eventually spawned the automatic suggestion list for twitter users. Although there has been no official verification on EventParrot’s status from Twitter, EventParrot has been snagging thousands of followers, including a large number of Twitter employees and associates. This afternoon, Twitter sent out a DM alerting followers to the kidnapping of Libya’s prime minister.

 

6. iPhone 6 Said To Feature Display Around 5 Inches; iWatch Is More Than Just A Smartwatch

 

Reports about the iPhone 6 have all claimed that the iPhone 6 will most likely feature a larger display. Apple is said to be currently screen testing up to 6 inches for its next iPhone. Cantor Fitzgerald’s Brian White reported that his meeting with an unnamed Apple component supplier has convinced him that next year’s iPhone 6 will have a much larger screen. White also says that Apple will soon be launching iWatch, and that the device will be much more than a smartwatch. White describes the iWatch as more than an extension of an iPhone. Instead, he called it a “multi-purpose gateway in allowing consumers to control their home.” The iWatch will reportedly let users control their home through options like changing the temperature and turning lights on and off.

 

7. Foursquare’s Real-Time Recommendations Now Being Pushed To iOS

 

This past summer, Forusquare rolled out real-time recommendation features for Android users. Now, this feature is heading to iOS, to a small batch of users, as part of a new software update. Users will see push notifications appear on their iPhones, suggesting places of items of interest, like a cocktail at a specific bar or restaurant. This app also comes with a “nearby” button that lets users keep tabs on which friends are close to them, as well as the friends’ most recent check-ins. Foursquare plans to put this feature “in everyone’s hands” very soon.

 

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Will Upcoming Ubuntu Phone Disrupt Mobile OS Landscape?

Ubuntu has, since its release as a free, open source software, been labeled as the world’s most popular free operating system. Scheduled to launch in mid-October, Ubuntu 13.10 will be the first version of Linux’s line of operating systems that will provide full support for a wide range of products — from servers to desktops to tablets and smartphones.

 

This highly flexible operating system will now allow users to run mobile applications on their computers with keys and mouse and share the same navigating comfort as using the app on a phone with touchscreen controls. This brings about a truly mobile experience as it transforms your mobile device into an all-in-one device. Although there are thousands of apps already compatible with Ubuntu, Canonical still needs third party developers to create applications that can run in both mobile and desktop mode, as many Ubuntu applications can only run on computers.

 

While Linux still has to make its debut on phones, it can be safe to say that its revolutionary dual modes are going to change the mobile playing field dramatically. It will be interesting to see how competing companies such as Apple, Google, and even Microsoft will respond to this technological breakthrough. Some other welcomed changes we can expect to see with this Ubuntu update, is an improved Smart Scopes and XMir.

 

Smart Scopes is a desktop search engine of sorts and allows users to find files on the computer as well as related sites on the internet Previously, it seemed to be a bit problematic for users, providing a slew of irrelevant results while not returning what was intended. Now, we can expect even more results, except that it will return what we’re looking for as its top choice.

 

XMir is a computer display server for Linux and will replace the currently used X Windows. The old display server has proven to be a bit glitchy, causing applications to take some action without the proper inputs. Additionally, it would be hard to have it working across platforms fluidly without having tight controls. The shift to XMir will allow for a more fluid display while easily maintaining cross platform activity.

 

It will be interesting to see what other packages Linux will be adding, changing, and dropping with the release of Ubuntu, and how popular the Ubuntu phone will be amongst other contenders.

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